Why Eugene Won't Show the Lease

A spokesman for Councilman-elect Mathieu Eugene just told me — not for the first time — that Eugene absolutely possesses a lease that should clear up the issue of whether or not he had established residency in his district by the time he was elected.

“I did see a lease dated February 1st,” said the spokesman, Scott Levenson.

But as stories about the issue have noted, the campaign will not make that lease public. Levenson explained the decision not to display the lease — which, it seems, would be the easiest way to make all of this go away — has to do with the fact that the Council is actively investigating Eugene’s claim of residency on what the Eugene camp believes to be faulty grounds.

“We disagree with the Council position that he had to be a resident of the district on the day of the election,” Levenson said. “Now that the Council had made a ruling that differs from our interpretation, that is our sole focus. Because if you uphold our position, that residency is required prior to certification, none of this becomes an issue.”